This group, belonging to the Department of Environmental Science, has consolidated competences on the evaluation of biological effects produced by atmospheric pollutants. Particulate matter from different sources in outdoor and indoor ambient are collected with specific instruments. Chemical, physical and morphological analyses are performed and their impact on human health evaluated by the use of lung cultured cell lines and co-cultured systems, which mimics the emato alveolar barrier.

The laboratories are equipped for:

– cultured cells (BL-2:Biosafety Level 2)

– Optical Microscopy

– Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

– Biochemical analysis techniques (western blot, ELISA, spectrophotometry, cytofluorimetry)

Biological systems

– lung cell lines in mono and co-culture (A549, BEAS-2B, HPMEC-ST1.6R, NCI-H441)

– Co-colture system for the emato alveolar barrier

– Human immune cells (THP-1)

Cell evaluation

Cell viability, apoptosis, DNA damage, cell cycle modifications, inflammatory processes, ROS production